The time has come for you to move out on your own: you’ve found a nice place, and the only thing left is to load your stuff onto a truck. Sounds easy, but there are tons of things that can go wrong. You can relax, though—we’re here to help. Our 5 tips for moving into your first apartment will give you the knowledge and confidence you need to do a quick and efficient job. Let’s get into the actual tips themselves.

1. Make a Plan and Prepare for the Move

As the first and most crucial step, you’ll need to make a general plan for how you’ll make the move. You should include the following:

• Total distance from your current home to your new apartment

• A list of the things you want to take with you

• The total amount of boxes you’ll need to pack your stuff

Knowing the distance of the trip and the amount of space you need will help you negotiate a price with the moving company.

When moving, you should learn how to pack efficiently. Remember: don’t just jam things into boxes. Combine stuff carefully to use your available space as best you can.

In addition, plan what home products you’re going to need. This includes appliances such as food processors, air conditioners, water heaters, and more. Vacuum cleaners, for example, are a necessity in most homes. Having these home products and their benefits will increase the overall comfort of your new apartment. Create a list of the home products you want, read product reviews, and compare prices between different brands. Many unbiased reviews are readily available online. Visit this page for more information on various home products and appliances.

2. Decide on Your Budget and Save Up

You might be surprised to find that hiring a moving truck is not cheap, nor is it always worry-free. Before deciding, browse around to determine which moving company offers the best rates while ensuring it’s trustworthy. The amount of stuff you need to move will affect the price and distance. Luckily, you’ve already calculated those beforehand.

Don’t forget about the cost of living on your own, either. If you’re renting, make sure you have the cash to cover at least a couple of months of rent. If you’re planning to buy an apartment, do the same with the mortgage. Of course, utility bills go without saying.

3. Get Rid of Unnecessary Stuff

Let’s face it: we all have a little hoarder inside us. Old clothes you’ll never wear again, countless pots and pans, coffee cups with their handles missing… The list goes on and on. The move is the perfect opportunity to get rid of all this clutter. Here’s how: separate the junk from the items that are still serviceable. Donate items that can be reused, and throw away anything that’s damaged—that’s it!

By doing that, not only will you simplify your life, you’ll do the same with the move as well. You will be amazed at how much junk we all keep at home. Throw it away beforehand—that way, you won’t have to waste any time packing it or pay money to haul it to your new place. Plus, unpacking and organizing everything afterward will be a breeze.

4. Make a Floor Plan of Your New Apartment

Before making the move, it’s a good idea to make a floor plan to see if and where you can fit your stuff. There’s no point hauling a massive couch for miles, only to find out that it doesn’t even fit through the door. Same with smaller pieces—they might fit, but consider how well they integrate. If you don’t have a floor plan in mind, you risk crowding your apartment with unnecessary furniture, making you feel overwhelmed and cramped.

The floor plan will also help you decide what you can and cannot bring with you to your new apartment. This will save you some trouble during the move, not to mention money.

5. Cleaning and Renovations

If your new place needs a deep clean or some minor remodeling, the best time to do these is right before you move in. Without furniture, the cleaning process will be much simpler and quicker. You’ll be able to get inside all of the nooks and crannies of your new apartment without the need to move heavy furniture around. With that, you’ll make your home easier to maintain in the future.

You can even put on a fresh coat of paint if needed. With an empty apartment, the job should be pretty straightforward. Choose your color, lay down some drop cloth on what little furniture there is, and start painting.

Of course, these are all relatively simple home improvement jobs. For the big stuff, such as a bathroom remodel, you’ll need to plan ahead and hire a couple of specialists.

Conclusion

Moving out is no simple process. You need to keep an eye on tons of things, and it’s easy to get lost and confused. To that end, we hope our 5 moving tips will make things a little easier for you. Whether it be decluttering, budgeting, or making a floor plan, you’re sure to find the moving process much simpler. As a result, you will enjoy the experience and take pride in your new home.

Our final piece of advice would be not to sweat the small stuff. The chances are that you’ll never achieve a perfect move anyway, so concentrate on the essentials. Don’t rush the details—they’ll come naturally.